1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of handling material, loads, cargo and the like within a storage or transportation space, particularly as applied to handling cargo in a truck bed.
2. Related Art
In order to make moving and storing material, loads and cargo efficient, it is most frequently the case that the material is stored and/or transported in a cargo space that is too large for a human being to reach across with only his or her arms. For example, a very common situation is the space of the truck, such as the bed of a pickup truck. There is a continuing need for a tool to ease the manipulation of cargo and items located in truck beds.
Transportation spaces such as truck beds are a particular problem in that the actual transportation often shifts the load within the bed. Therefore, an item that was placed within easy reach, for example just inside the tailgate of a pickup truck, will have moved during transportation to an inaccessible spot, for example against the cab of the truck. Upon arrival then, to unload the cargo from the truck bed, the user must enter the truck bed, push the cargo from the side or pursue other inconvenient approaches to handling the cargo.
The need for a load manipulation tool is further compounded by the great variety of cargo types and load items that are commonly transported by pickup trucks and similar cargo vehicles. A tool that is quickly adapted for one use, for example a hook for a bale of hay, is not useful for manipulating a different load, such as a paint can. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a handling apparatus that combines a variety of load manipulators in a single device.
Still a further need in the prior art is for a load handling tool that includes a light, because a great deal of pickup truck use occurs at night and in the dark, as for example, by hunters in the field.